There’s nothing more thrilling than the anticipation of snagging a fish on your line and reeling in a big one. Before you can start posing for big fish photos, you need to ensure you’ve got everything in place for a hassle-free and leisurely fishing trip.
Technically, all you need to fish is a rod and reel and a body of water. But these days, many anglers prefer to cast out in style.
If you like to use a lot of fishing gear or kit out your boat, solar generators can be the ideal solution to power many of your devices, especially when you’re far from shore.
Here are some examples:
- Boat batteries
- Sonar and fish finders
- Mechanical devices used on fishing boats, like bilge pumps
- Marine battery chargers
- Electronic instruments like GPS
- Electric motors for small boats, SUPs, and Kayaks
Whether you’re an ocean or freshwater angler, a solar generator can be a blessing, allowing you to save on energy costs and lower your carbon footprint.
Not to mention that gas generators are extremely noisy, pollute the environment with toxic fumes and greenhouse gases — and can scare away the fish!
We’ll cover the four best solar generators for fishing and tell you how to pick the right one.
4 Best Solar Generators for Fishing Reviewed
Before we dive into the details of EcoFlow’s solar generators for fishing, here’s a brief summary of each model.
- EcoFlow RIVER 2 (256Wh/300W AC Output): Most lightweight portable power station. Best for shore fishing and powering low-wattage devices like phones, fans, and LED searchlights.
- EcoFlow RIVER 2 Max (512Wh/500W AC Output) and RIVER 2 Pro (768Wh/800W): The perfect balance between storage capacity and AC output. Both units have 11 output ports. Best for shore fishing with a group of friends, canoe/kayak fishing, and ice fishing. Operates higher-wattage fishing appliances like a fishfinder, trolling motor, and a space heater.
- EcoFlow DELTA 2: High-capacity solar generator for extended fishing or ocean fishing trips. Can operate most onboard appliances like a fridge, bilge pump, or electric grill.
1. EcoFlow RIVER 2
EcoFlow’s RIVER 2 Solar Generator is a lightweight and affordable unit perfect for a short fishing trip.
Weighing in at a feathery 7.7 lbs (3.5 kg), this solar generator is the definition of portable.
EcoFlow RIVER 2 is slightly bigger than a toaster and easily fits in a fishing rucksack for convenience.
Despite its compact size, the battery packs a lot of power in its small unit. It comes with 256 Wh of storage capacity. With its X-Boost mode on, it can power devices and appliances up to 600W.
The EcoFlow RIVER 2 is perfect for day trips, keeping your phone and digital camera charged and powering essential gear like fish finders, fishing lights, and fans.
You can recharge quickly if you consume its 256Wh capacity. EcoFlow RIVER 2 can fully recharge in 2.3 hours of direct sunlight with one 110W solar panel.
2. EcoFlow RIVER 2 Max
Weighing only 13.4 pounds (6.1kg), EcoFlow RIVER 2 Max is a portable unit that delivers plenty of power.
It provides 500W of rated AC output and surge power of up to 1000W thanks to X-Boost mode.
EcoFlow RIVER 2 Max offers 11 output ports, including AC, DC (car adapter), USB-C, USB-A, and DC5521 plugs.
You can charge multiple devices at once — perfect for fishing in a motorboat with a group of friends or canoe/kayak fishing.
If you use a 200W fish finder, EcoFlow RIVER 2 Max can power it for up to 2 hours without recharging.
With the 160W portable solar panel, you can recharge in only 3.2 hours.
Better yet, charge while you cast for an endless supply of power!
3. EcoFlow RIVER 2 Pro
EcoFlow RIVER 2 Pro features 800W running watts and 1600W of surge power.
It can power all your fishing devices and even a small space heater if you’re ice fishing.
At 17.2 pounds (8kg), it’s effortless to carry EcoFlow RIVER 2 Pro to and from your fishing location to your car or campground.
It’s the perfect weekend companion for camping on the riverside during peak fishing season.
Thanks to patented X-Stream technology, EcoFlow RIVER 2 Pro recharges from 0% to 100% in just 70 minutes when plugged into an AC (household) wall outlet.
No access to campground or shore power?
No worries!
With the 220W bifacial solar panel, RIVER 2 Pro can recharge in only 3.5 hours.
4. EcoFlow DELTA 2
EcoFlow DELTA 2 is a reliable solar generator for anglers who prefer higher capacity and power output, especially on week-long fishing trips.
You can connect up to 500W of solar panels to capture renewable energy from the sun’s rays.
With 1800W of AC output, you can power over 90% of home appliances and plug in up to 15 devices simultaneously.
If you drive up to the fishing spot in your RV, you can power your car fridge for 16 to 32 hours, an electric grill for 0.7 hours, or a fan for 30 hours.
If you like to fish in under-the-radar fishing spots areas with low sunlight, consider adding an EcoFlow DELTA 2 Smart Extra Battery to reach 2048 Wh of storage capacity.
Or you can max out at 3kWh by adding the EcoFlow DELTA 2 Max LFP battery.
EcoFlow DELTA 2 will last you for many fishing trips to come.
Thanks to its cutting-edge lithium iron phosphate solar battery chemistry, you get over 3000 cycles before EcoFlow DELTA 2’s storage diminishes to 80% of its original capacity.
That equates to 10 years of daily use before any noticeable dip in performance.
Even the most avid anglers can use the EcoFlow DELTA 2 for over a decade or more.
What Should I Consider When Choosing a Solar Generator for Fishing?
Solar generators keep your equipment running so that you can focus on catching more fish and living a more sustainable lifestyle.
However, not every generator on the market is suitable for fishing. Finding the right solar generator can ruin a fishing trip if you don’t choose one that fits your electrical needs. Here are the primary factors to consider.
Portability
When you’re hiking into various fishing spots, portability is crucial. You shouldn’t have to worry about being weighed down just to have everything you powered, such as your sonar fish finder, fishing scale, and other equipment.
Some options focus on portability, like the EcoFlow RIVER 2, which weighs only 7.7 pounds. It still provides substantial output to charge small appliances. Many heavier models provide handles allowing you to take them anywhere you go.
Power Output
The power output level determines which types of devices you can charge and power on your fishing adventure. You’ll need to look at the watt specification since that is the measure of power output.
The total output must exceed the rated power of your electric needs, especially if you’re looking to run them all at once.
Battery Capacity
Solar generators can come in various battery storage capacities, so it’s essential to choose one that fits your needs for your fishing trips.
Most generators measure the battery capacity by watt-hour. The battery capacity often determines the generator’s weight and size since the battery takes up a significant portion of the unit. A larger battery capacity means you can power more devices and run them for longer.
Here are the average runtimes of popular fishing devices and appliances by solar generator model.
| RIVER 2 | RIVER 2 Max | RIVER 2 Pro | Delta 2 | |
| Storage Capacity | 256Wh | 512Wh | 768Wh | 1024Wh |
| Rated power output | 300W | 500W | 800W | 1800W |
| Device/Wattage | Run/Charge Times | |||
| Phone（11Wh） | 19 times | 38 times | 57 times | 89 times |
| Underwater Fishing Light（40W） | 4.6 hrs | 9.2 hrs | 13.8 hrs | 17 hrs |
| LED Searchlight（60W） | 3.1 hrs | 6.2 hrs | 9.3 hrs | 16 hrs |
| Fridge (60W) | 3.1-6.2 hrs | 6.2-12.4 hrs | 9.3-18.6hrs | 16-32hrs |
| Bilge Pump（120W) | 1.7 hrs | 3.4 hrs | 6.1 hrs | 7 hrs |
| Fishfinder（300W） | 0.68 hrs | 1.36 hrs | 2 hrs | 3 hrs |
| Trolling Motor(720W) | – | 0.8 hrs | 0.768 hrs | 0.9 hrs |
| Electric Grill (1150W) | – | – | 0.768 hrs | 0.7 hrs |
Charging Speed
Depending on the season and region, there might be a limited number of peak sun hours in a day. For some anglers, limited sunlight is preferable, like for bass anglers.
However, overcast or cloudy skies can also negatively impact your solar generator recharge speed.
The solar panels for most solar generators need between 5 to 8 hours of sunlight. The charging speed can also vary due to various environmental factors and the intensity of sunshine.
Fortunately, many Ecoflow Solar Generators can fully charge in just a few hours with solar energy. You can also charge using a standard AC wall outlet or car adapter for faster charging.
Ecoflow RIVER 2 can recharge in just 2.3 hours with the 110W solar panel or one hour with an AC wall plug before you cast off.
Portable solar panels can provide you with continuous power for even extended fishing trips.
Number and Type of Outlets
The outlets will determine which tools or devices you can run. For example, a USB-A connection might be fine for your GPS device, but a bilge pump requires DC connections.
Comparatively, the number of outlets will dictate how many appliances or devices the solar generator can charge or power simultaneously.
Additional Features
There are plenty of additional features you’ll want to consider when looking at solar generators. A helpful feature is an LCD, which allows you to monitor how much charge remains in the generator or how much power the solar panels produce. The more advanced solar generators may have WiFi and Bluetooth compatibility allowing you to control and monitor the unit from anywhere through your smartphone device.
Some generators even offer dual-fuel capability, allowing you to use gas to cover your power needs in case you need the extra juice.
Cycle Life
The batteries in solar generators and portable power stations have a cycle life rating that indicates the number of times the unit can be charged and discharged before the capacity begins to decrease.
The greater the cycle life, the longer the lifespan of the generator.
The lithium iron phosphate (LFP/LiFePO4) batteries found in EcoFlow’s solar generators last significantly longer than other types of rechargeable batteries like lead-acid or traditional lithium-ion chemistries.
LFP batteries are also light with high energy density, making them an excellent choice for anglers who favor portability.
Final Thoughts
As an avid angler, you should spend more time fishing and less time worrying about having enough power.
Whether you’re a hobbyist who fishes for a few hours or likes to go on long ten-hour-a-day deep-sea fishing trips, getting the power you need is a must.
From day fishing on shore with EcoFlow RIVER 2 to extended ocean fishing trips with EcoFlow DELTA 2, EcoFlow has the perfect solar generator to take your angling to the next level.
Compare the models above to find the right solar generator for your all fishing needs.